Fiesta de las Cruces in Spain and Hispanic America

The Fiesta de las Cruces ("Festival of the Crosses") or Cruz de Mayo ("May Cross") is a holiday celebrated on 3 May in many parts of Spain and Hispanic America.

The Fiesta de las Cruces, also known as Cruz de Mayo, celebrates the discovery of the True Cross by Emperor Constantine I's mother, Saint Helen, during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 326. If you happen to be in Granada on May 3rd, you will experience an authentic and joyful atmosphere.

The Day of the Cross is one of the most popular holidays in Andalusia. It was first celebrated in Granada in the seventeenth century, when in 1625 an alabaster cross was erected in the San Lázaro neighborhood, and all the locals celebrated by singing and dancing around it.

This tradition continued in Granada's most popular neighborhoods, such as Albaycin and Realejo. Children began to build small altars with the cross and decorate them with pottery and copperware.

Each year the city council holds a contest to promote this tradition, with four categories: patios (patios), streets and squares, storefronts and schools. Thousands of carnations adorn dozens of crosses that compete each year for a prize.

The fragrance of so many flowers is fragrant in Granada and invites people to enjoy this special day.